1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protector assembly for accommodating and protecting a desired length of a wire harness to be laid on an intended path in an automotive body structure. The protector assembly is intended to prevent damage of the wire harness in the presence of other various components or members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 6 depicts a wire harness 2 accommodated in a conventional harness protector assembly. The harness protector assembly comprises a plurality of harness protectors 1 made of resin or the like, each of which takes the form of a channel with its open end directed upwards. The harness protector assembly is secured to an automotive body structure by means of clips or any other suitable means.
The length or configuration of the harness protector assembly generally depends upon the location thereof. Molding a large-sized harness protector or a three-dimensional harness protector brings about an increase of the manufacturing cost of the harness protector assembly. Furthermore, such a harness protector requires a relatively large area for the storage thereof.
To solve these problems, the length or configuration of the harness protector assembly is often changed by connecting a plurality of harness protectors having a limited length either straight or at a given angle. In this case, one end of one harness protector 1 is in abutment with that of another harness protector 1, as shown in FIG. 6, and these ends are generally connected by winding a tape therearound over a desired length W.
However, when an external force is applied to the connecting portion during transportation of the wire harness together with the harness protector assembly, the problem arises that the mutually connected ends of the two harness protectors 1 may be separated from each other. Moreover, when the wire harness is laid on an automotive body structure, a tension is occasionally concentrated on the connecting portion around which the tape is wound. As a result, the problem arises that one of the harness protectors is forced to deviate from the other.
In the case of the tape winding, a three-dimensional harness protector assembly cannot be easily made by connecting two or more harness protectors at a desired angle. Even if the three-dimensional harness protector assembly is made by bending the connecting portion around which the tape is wound, it is likely that the angle of bending is changed upon application of an external force during storage or transportation of the harness protector assembly.
Because the connection by the tape winding includes several problems, a relatively long harness protector or a three-dimensional harness protector is integrally molded by the use of a large-sized molding die, thus causing an increase in manufacturing cost and requiring a large space for the storage thereof.
FIG. 7 depicts another conventional harness protector 1', which is provided with a hinge 1a' formed at an intermediate portion in a direction longitudinally thereof. The harness protector 1' can be bent about the hinge 1a', as shown by (B) of FIG. 7, so as to be used as a three-dimensional harness protector.
The use of this kind of harness protector is particularly effective in making the three-dimensional harness protector from a two-dimensional harness protector. Accordingly, no molding die is required to manufacture the three-dimensional harness protector.
In this case, although the harness protector shown by (B) can cover a bent path having a horizontal length of L1, when a substantially straight wire harness is desired to be protected over a length of L1 by the harness protector of (A), a length of L2 remains in excess. A large-sized molding die inevitably requires a large-sized equipment and causes an increase in manufacturing cost of the harness protector.